Easter Sunday Communion Celebration

Easter Flowers

We invite you to maintain a spirit of silence as the prelude begins our service & the Paschal Candle, extinguished on Friday, enters our sanctuary as the Light of New Life!

OUR APPROACH TO GOD
Prelude
Introit "Easter Song” A. Herring

Welcome

Call to Worship:  Acts 10: 38-41
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy spirit and with power;
HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY EVIL, FOR GOD WAS WITH HIM.
We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.
THEY PUT HIM TO DEATH BY HANGING HIM ON A TREE; BUT GOD RAISED HIM ON THE THIRD DAY AND ALLOWED HIM TO APPEAR, NOT TO ALL THE PEOPLE BUT TO US WHO WERE CHOSEN BY GOD AS WITNESSES AND WHO ATE AND DRANK WITH HIM AFTER HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

*Hymn 217 "Christ the Lord is Risen Today"

Let us be before our God in silence.

Prayer of Confession - by Vachel Lindsay
CHRIST THE DEW IN THE CLOUD, CHRIST THE SAP IN THE TREES, CHRIST THE LIGHT IN THE WATERFALL, THE SOUL OF THE SUN, GRANT THAT I MAY TOUCH THE FRINGES OF YOUR OUTERMOST ROBE. LET ME STORE YOUR RAYS TILL MY RIBS CARRY THE BREATH OF LIGHTNING, TILL MY LIPS SPEAK THE FULLNESS OF THUNDER TO WAKEN WORLD-WEARY ONES: TILL MY WHISPER ENGENDERS LIONS OUT OF THE DESERT WEEDS.

GIVE ME YOUR STRENGTH! GIVE ME YOUR HIDDEN WINGS, TILL I CLIMB TO THE HOLIEST PLACE, THAT HIGHEST PLAIN OF ALL, WITH ITS GLASSY SHALLOW POOLS.

GIVE US YOUR LIFE, O SUN! BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, WAFER OF AWFUL FIRE, GIVE US THE CONTRITE HEART, TAKE OUT THE DEATH FROM US.

A Word of Assurance: Isaiah 25:6-9

The Summary of God's Law (Mark 12:29b-31)
This is the first commandment:
HEAR O ISRAEL, 
THE LORD OUR GOD, 
THE LORD IS ONE!  
THEREFORE YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD 
WITH ALL YOUR HEART, 
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, 
WITH ALL YOUR MIND, 
AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.
This is the second commandment:
YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
There is no greater commandment than these.

Anthem "Break Forth Into Joy" C. Simper

THE WORD OF GOD
*Responsive Reading:
GOD RAISED CHRIST, HAVING FREED HIM FROM DEATH, BECAUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CHRIST TO BE HELD IN DEATH'S POWER (Acts 2:24)
But thanks be to God who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)
JESUS HIMSELF STOOD AMONG THEM AND SAID TO THEM, "PEACE BE WITH YOU." THEY WERE STARTLED AND TERRIFIED AND THOUGHT THEY WERE SEEING A GHOST. JESUS SAID TO THEM, "WHY ARE YOU FRIGHTENED AND WHY DO DOUBTS ARISE IN YOUR HEARTS? LOOK AT MY HANDS AND FEET; SEE THAT IT IS I MYSELF. TOUCH ME AND SEE; FOR A GHOST DOES NOT HAVE FLESH AND BONES AS YOU SEE THAT I HAVE. (Luke 24:36-39)
But Christ has been raised form the dead, the first fruits of those who have died (1 Corinthians 15:20)
JESUS SAID TO MARTHA: "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIE, WILL LIVE, AND EVERYONE WHO LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER DIE." (John 11:25, 26)

*Gloria Patri (Hymn No. 623)
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER 
AND TO THE SON 
AND TO THE HOLY GHOST.  
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, 
IS NOW AND EVER SHALL BE, 
WORLD WITHOUT END, 
AMEN, AMEN!

Children's Sermon & Song 590 "This is the Day!"

Scripture Lessons:
Jewish Scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-8
Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Alleluia! ALLELUIA!
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
Communion Meditation

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD
*Hymn 216 "Christ Arose"

The Offering (please use the envelopes)
Offertory Anthem "The Holy City" S. Adams

*The Doxology (625) 
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW; 
PRAISE GOD ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW; 
PRAISE GOD ABOVE YE HEAVENLY HOSTS; 
PRAISE FATHER (CREATOR), SON (CHRIST) AND HOLY GHOST. AMEN.

Offertory Prayer

The Invitation to the Table
The Breaking of the Bread
(hold the elements till we all have bread & cup so that we can eat & drink together)
Communion (Remember, we are chosen by God as witnesses who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead! Acts 10:41)
The Great Thanksgiving & the Lord’s Prayer
*Hymn 227 "Thine is the Glory"
*Benediction
*Choral Response "Ring the Bells" H. Bollback
Postlude

*Indicates please stand, only if you are able.

Let us feast this Easter day on Christ, the Bread of Heaven! the Word of grace has purged away the old and evil leaven. Christ alone our souls will feed; He is our bread and drink indeed; faith lives upon no other! Alleluia!                 ---16th c., Martin Luther

A Special Welcome to New Visitors! We are honored to have you worshipping with us! The children are welcomed outside to join in the Easter Egg/Candy Hunt after service. 
Everyone is invited to join us for Easter Coffee in the Parish House----Come!

Thanks to...Victor Safay and many devoted volunteers for the lovely decoration of our sanctuary...thanks to Elder Louise and the Outreach Committee for the preparation of the Easter Egg Hunt! Thanks to our Rev. Robert Peterson & our choir for such glorious songs of praise! Thanks to our Easter Bunny...Gene Ander...thanks to...our church members & friends who contributed to our Easter Coffee Hour. Happy Easter to everyone!